Dues
by Sabrina
Summary: Renee is having trouble coping with the events of the past year... again.


Disclaimer: Earth: Final Conflict does not belong to me... blah, blah, blah, we have all heard this before. Spoilers: Just knowledge of the events of the fifth season and the final episode, Final Conflict. Pairing: None really. Some inferecence to Liam/Renee. Status: Complete. Author's Notes: I wrote this story for the Philosophysphere, to get a forum going. It had been rolling around in my head for some time and finally my muse demanded that I write it down. LOL. Hope you like.  
  
Dues  
  
By Sabrina  
  
Renee ran down the corridors of the Taelon Mothership. Her breathing was uneven and she could hear her pursuer closing in on her. Ducking into a smaller hall, Renee pressed her back against the wall. Trying desperately to control her beating heart and raged breathing, Renee strained her ears to hear the sounds of his footsteps.  
  
"Renee" The sound of his voice had sudders run down the length of her spine. "I know you are hear."  
  
"Leave me alone." She called out quietly from her spot.  
  
"You know I can't do that, you have to pay for what you did, to me, to everyone. Gee, Renee, we could even add in Humanity in general to that mix."  
  
"How... How can you say that. I loved you."  
  
"Yes and look at where that got me. Dead. And you back in the arms of the man that never really left your heart, even when I had you in my arms."  
  
"Stop it!" Renee shouted, her body falling down to crumple on the floor.  
  
"Oh, but I can't. I will never be able to forget." He stood over her, looking just as handsome as the day she had met him.  
  
"Brent, please."  
  
"Please, nothing Renee. You will get what you deserve."  
  
Renee saw his hand descend down towards her, when suddenly the scene changed. The hand coming toward her was that of Street.  
  
"Street, please help me!"  
  
"Your pathetic." Street snarled. Her eyes gleamed like a hybrids, something Renee would never be able to forget as long as she lived.  
  
"You made everyone else do your dirty work and hid from the consequences of your actions."  
  
"I didn't." Renee's voice faltered for a second, "I faced what I did. When I figured out what had been released, I went after it."  
  
"Oh, don't give me that self-martrying crap. You did exactly what you needed to do to make yourself feel worthwhile. The Taelons were gone and you needed someone new to fight. Lucky for you there was a new source of terror for you to fight off and save the world from."  
  
"Liam was still alive, I needed to save him."  
  
"You!" Street shouted in her face. "Needed to be the hero and screw the rest of us. You! released a plague on humanity that nearly killed us. Boone, Micheals, Chase... all dead from your actions."  
  
"No, please stop this."  
  
Street faded into the background to be replaced my Howlyn. He too looked exactly like she remembered him, with that same leer on his face.  
  
"What do you want?" Renee said as she carefully picked herself up off the ground.  
  
"What, I have always wanted. You."  
  
"Well, I can tell you that is not going to happen."  
  
"We'll see."  
  
Renee started to feel some of her strenght come back. This she could deal with. Howlyn was the enemy. The clear cut lines were back.  
  
That very thought had Renee stumble back a step. Was Street right. Had her life been always decided by who she was fighting. When had this happened? Why had it happened?  
  
Howlyn started to circle Renee causing Renee's back to got stiff as a board. "You are most beautiful. Like a predator waiting for her chance to strike."  
  
Renee watched him uneasily, mentally categorizing his every move. The dance seemed almost expected now. In any second he would attack, and she would dodge, leading him on a elaborate act.  
  
"I don't want your flattery, and I don't need your appreciation." Renee almost spit out.  
  
"Yes, you do."  
  
It was then that Howlyn attacked, and Renee ran, just like she remembered it. Once again, she was running down the corridors trying to excape the unexcapable.  
  
Turning around to look behind her, Renee never noticed another body materialize as she ran straight into it.  
  
His arms immediately went around her and Renee could see his face even as she buried her head in his chest.  
  
"Liam, please, oh God, please help me."  
  
Liam just smiled that half smile of his as he looked down at her. When she looked up and realized that he wasn't going to do anything, Renee tried to turn and run again, but he held her firmly against him.  
  
"Oh, God, Liam. He's coming, you have to let me go."  
  
"Sorry, Renee. But we all have to pay our dues eventually."  
  
Renee screamed as she felt Howlyn grab her, and Liam release he to him. She screamed as she felt Howlyn's cleaves enter her body and she screamed as Liam roughly woke her up.  
  
"Renee, snap out of it."  
  
Renee jerked back as if she had been burned. When she realized that she was sitting bolt straight on her bed in the Taelon Mothership, her shoulders slumped a notch. Suddenly needing the human contact, Renee reached out of Liam and wrapped her arms around him.  
  
Momentarily startled, Liam didn't do anything. Then, he wrapped his arms around her too and buried his face in her hair.  
  
Liam felt Renee's shivers flow through her body and be absorbed by his. He murmered soothing words into her hair as she slowly settled down.  
  
When she slowly pulled away, Liam took a deep look into her face. What he saw scared him. He knew that Renee hadn't had it easy when he was "gone." In fact, he knew that she had almost suffered a full mental breakdown, but he had thought Renee was over it. The sadness and dispair that was evident in her eyes told him otherwise.  
  
"Renee, what happened."  
  
Taking a deep breath, Renee turned away from him.  
  
"It was nothing, just a stupid nightmare."  
  
"It obviously was not!" Liam almost shouted. He couldn't stand when she locked him out this way.  
  
"God dammit, Liam, don't tell me what it was or wasn't."  
  
Liam took a deep breath to calm himself. He debated fighting it out of her. He had done it in the past and knew that it was possible, but he also knew that she would resent him for weeks afterward. It was better if she came to him on her own.  
  
"Look Renee when you are ready to talk, I'll be here, but until then you are going to have to believe I'm here for you."  
  
Renee took a deep breath and tried to expel the feelings that were raging in her. She tried a half smile and couldn't see that it came out more as a grimace.  
  
"Thanks, Liam."  
  
Liam got up and started to walk towards the door.  
  
"Liam?" Renee called out.  
  
"Yeah?" He said turning around.  
  
"Do you think I did the right thing."  
  
"With regards to what?"  
  
"The Atavus, the Hybrids... everything in that damn war."  
  
Liam smiled saddly, this theories justified. "You did as best as you could, that is all anyone can ask for."  
  
"Thanks Liam." Renee said as she smile a little brighter. "And Liam."  
  
"Uh huh?"  
  
"One day we will have that talk. I think it would do us both a lot of good."  
  
"Goodnight Renee."  
  
Liam walked out and then stood around the corner. He listened as her breathing evened out and she fell back to sleep. Yes they would definitly have that talk. It would do them both so much good.  
  
The End.  
  
Feedback is alway, always appreciated!! Sabrina_fairchild@lycos.com or you can press the little purple button. 


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